Sunflower Early Headstart

Thanks to a multi-million-dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, DHA has created the Sunflower Childcare Coalition to operate a system of private day care centers that meet Early Head Start requirements. More than 150 children will be served by new facilities in locations throughout the county when the program becomes operational in 2016. Each childcare center will use a standardized curriculum designed to ensure students are ready for kindergarten. Moreover, the centers will coordinate health and nutritional services, including vision, oral and health screenings. A separate initiative will work with parents to ensure their involvement in the education of their children every step of the way. This collaborative program will work with local partners, community leaders, and state agencies to help the childcare facilities and affiliated services work in a coordinated fashion. Finally, performance measures will be established to ensure that each center meets academic and development benchmarks for the children enrolled in its program.